


just leave me here in my dreams

by Red (S_Hylor)



Series: the shadows remain in the light of day [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Demon Tony Stark, Demonic Possession, Domestic Violence, Guilt, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Not by Tony, Spousal Homocide, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:14:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23050774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_Hylor/pseuds/Red
Summary: When Tony left hell, he was lucky enough to find Steve. Now, with Steve gone, Tony finds himself is a whole new kind of hell.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Brock Rumlow, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: the shadows remain in the light of day [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1656436
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29
Collections: Captain America/Iron Man Bingo





	just leave me here in my dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This is a direct sequel to my fic _walk the nightmare out the door_. Please read that prior to reading this, otherwise you'll be missing most of the story. 
> 
> Please heed the tags. 
> 
> Title from the song Dreams by The Smashup. 
> 
> Not beta'd, let me know if there's any horrid mistakes.

He dreams. It has been eons since he’s slept, since he’s had dreams. So long he’d forgotten what it was like, for his subconscious to conjure up images and ideas to play across the back of his eyelids. 

He’d spent an eternity in hell without eyelids, without sleep. It’s hard to dream when you don’t sleep, Tony knows that.

Even when he’d last possessed a body he didn’t sleep. He spent hours awake at night, arms wrapped around Steve, listening to his slightly laboured breathing and making silent promises to keep him safe. 

Promises he hadn’t kept. 

Now it’s Steve who he dreams about. Steve with his crooked smiles despite the bruises that hung under his eyes. Steve, who could still love and be so kind and gentle despite having only felt anger and abuse for so long. Steve, who had loved Tony, despite everything he was, everything he had been. 

He dreams of Steve out in the tiny backyard, a flower tucked behind his ear, where Tomy had placed it. Dreams of Steve smiling up at him, eyes crinkling and dimples appearing in his cheeks. 

Then he dreams of Steve’s smiles fading, of his lips bleeding and face bruised. He dreams of blood on hands that aren’t his and Steve on the floor, struggling to get up but unable to support himself with broken bones. He can hear them grating inside Steve’s body, hear the blood leaking into his punctured lung and gurgling up his throat. He hears the sickening crunching thud of a boot connecting with Steve’s body. 

He wasn’t there. 

He had broken his promise. Hadn’t kept Steve safe. He wasn’t there to save him. 

Tony knows, with every ounce of certainty that these dreams are his new punishment. His new torture. 

Because even when they are of Steve smiling at him, they aren’t dreams. 

They’re nightmares. 


End file.
